Oh God, I m suffering! Will you help me? Ross Wakeley

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1 Oh God, I m suffering! Will you help me? Ross Wakeley

2 It came without warning. Its effects shattered the lives of people in many nations.

Hundreds were killed, thousands wounded.

may occur. The first two reduced the lives of many Balinese to constant poverty and hardship.

In the midst of horror, such as the Bali bombing, in our human agony, we cry out, God I m suffering will you help me?

2 2 It came without warning. Its effects shattered the lives of people in many nations. In October 2002, a series of bombs, sequenced to cause maximum human carnage, exploded in downtown Bali. Hundreds were killed, thousands wounded. The mental and emotional scars still weigh heavily on myriads of people and the Balinese people now live in the anxiety that a 3 rd bombing may occur. The first two reduced the lives of many Balinese to constant poverty and hardship. Many Aussies still live with the horror of those bombings as it holds them in a vice of fear. In the midst of horror, such as the Bali bombing, in our human agony, we cry out, God I m suffering will you help me? Pain and suffering occurs in all of our lives. We re all familiar with it, to varying degrees. In the midst of suffering, the world shouts at us to yell, scream and demand our rights. Our pain means we deserve attention. This booklet is not a box full of neat answers. The issue of a Christian view of suffering is not an attractive topic, there are multiple issues and yet for most of us, it s a question just below the surface of everyday life.

3 3 Firstly, an observation. In our pain, we may be crying out to God the question: Why does God allow suffering and evil? This whole topic is a vital one to wrestle with, however it can be destructive of our faith. Let me unpack that. If we re asking from a place of pain and aloneness, the path can be a downhill slide like this: We experience the grief cycle of shock, denial, anger and feeling alone and powerless. We cry out, Does anyone care for me? In the midst of our heartache, we may get emotionally entrapped as we review all the pain, suffering and injustice in the world from an intellectual, theological and emotionally defeated perspective. The outcome Focus shifts to the things in our world that are negative & evil We look at God with human eyes and view Him as uncaring, impotent & deaf to cry of humanity. We shift from a Biblical worldview and the true character of God, so that Our faith becomes shattered; Hope is abandoned We assess everything from our standpoint as we become so immersed in our perspective that we become overwhelmed & discouraged We walk away from God

God is a divine rescue service to bail me out when things get rough. God is just an old man in the sky who only acts if we yell loudly.

4 4 Aussies are pretty good at having wrong views of God. Some of the common misconceptions include: God is a moral policeman just waiting to thump me when I step out of line. God is a divine rescue service to bail me out when things get rough. God is just an old man in the sky who only acts if we yell loudly. God is a kindly grandfather who helps us when we are in need. Is it any wonder that people yell at God when things go wrong and they are hurting? Let s now focus on a positive Biblical view about suffering and handling it in our life.

5 The Bible assumes suffering is a default reality.

Sin always has consequences: a world that is riddled with selfishness, suffering and struggle are some of the outcomes.

However there is a tension at work: In His power and sovereignty, God could make it all better. Remove all the suffering and pain.

5 5 The Bible assumes suffering is a default reality. We know the why : With the rebellion of Adam and Eve, the perfect creation of God s intention gets hijacked. Sin always has consequences: a world that is riddled with selfishness, suffering and struggle are some of the outcomes. God is never the passive observer in the outcomes of man s poor choices. He is the rescuer, shepherd, comforter and healer! However there is a tension at work: In His power and sovereignty, God could make it all better. Remove all the suffering and pain. Make the world perfect again. That sounds good. The tension: God created us like Himself we have the right to make choices. If God remade the world, He must violate His created order. God s solution: To become one with us, deal with and defeat the entire issue of man s rebellion and empower each person who trusts Him to live above the natural situations of life.

do for us? God s response to our suffering is summed by Paul in Romans 8 God knew what he was doing from the very beginning.

6 6 With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? God s response to our suffering is summed by Paul in Romans 8 God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him The One who died for us who was raised to life for us! is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. Romans 8:29-39 (The Message)

7 This means Christians no longer needs to live with a defeatist, compliant acceptance of pain and suffering nor with an aggressive and angry reactive response.

7 7 This means Christians no longer needs to live with a defeatist, compliant acceptance of pain and suffering nor with an aggressive and angry reactive response. Rather, we can invite and expect God to release heaven on earth in a supernatural way. To see every area currently captured by the enemy taken back as we flow in His anointing, presence and power to bring the Kingdom in a tangible way into every situation. Rather than allowing suffering to defeat and overwhelm us, Almighty God enables us to bring Jesus fullness into every area of life and expect Him to demonstrably bring changes such as healing, freedom from oppression, structural changes, renewed attitudes and Kingdom values that we live. This is living from a third heaven perspective in the midst of suffering not defeated and oppressed. Instead we re saying: God, what do you want me to do here? What do you want me to release? How can I be Jesus in this situation? Four pillars to live under God is good all the time Nothing is impossible for God You are significant Every in God s Kingdom thing defeated by the Cross

8 Bill Johnson s [www.ibethel.org] four pillars concepts are foundational with having a Biblical worldview for life and are keys concerning the issue of suffering. 1. God is good all the time.

As we grasp this, we discover there is nothing in the world that we can blame God for. The early Christians knew this was a vital truth as they faced persecution.

He looked beyond the natural to Jesus Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

8 8 Bill Johnson s [ four pillars concepts are foundational with having a Biblical worldview for life and are keys concerning the issue of suffering. 1. God is good all the time. We know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God and God in him. 1 John 4:16 This is truth. As we grasp this, we discover there is nothing in the world that we can blame God for. The early Christians knew this was a vital truth as they faced persecution. They lived from a confidence in God s nature of goodness so there was no fear of man in them. Look at Stephen as he faced death. He looked beyond the natural to Jesus Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Look, he said, I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. Acts 7:55,56 This pillar is vital and is lived out today by the many of God s people. One group are the Christians of China. Heavenly Man is a brook written by Brother Yun a key leader in the Chinese house church who has suffered torture and years of imprisonment for being a Christian.

9 Brother Yun makes it clear that persecution is the reality for millions of Christians in China.

I was with Jesus and had overwhelming joy and peace in His intimate presence.

Don t pray that persecution ends for Chinese Christians if persecution stops we may become complacent like much of the

Jesus looked at them and said, With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.

9 9 Brother Yun makes it clear that persecution is the reality for millions of Christians in China. He comments: People say, You had a terrible time in prison! I respond, What are you talking about. I was with Jesus and had overwhelming joy and peace in His intimate presence. The world can do nothing to a Christian who has no fear of man. Don t pray that persecution ends for Chinese Christians if persecution stops we may become complacent like much of the Western church. 2. There is nothing that is impossible for God. Jesus looked at them and said, With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God. Mark 10:27 This should be a default reality in our spirit with every situation we face. We may hear that as, Oh, I just call to God and He ll rescue me. God has a different view to that. The stories of Christians through the ages are that God is with us in what we face, not a divine rescue service at our beck and call.

10 Scriptures on this theme: Habakkuk 3:17,18 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,

1 Peter 5:7-11 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert.

Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

10 10 Scriptures on this theme: Habakkuk 3:17,18 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. 1 Peter 5:7-11 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 2 Corinthians 1:3,4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

11 Gunner is the man who had a key mentoring role in John Wimber s life. Some years before they met him, his 16 year old daughter had been raped and murdered.

Gunner had a different perspective: Jesus is enough to get us through. I don t understand what s happened, but I trust Him.

They knew that there is nothing that is impossible for God. They proved: God is with us in the journey. He enables us to supernaturally live above the situation, not be defeated by it.

11 11 Gunner is the man who had a key mentoring role in John Wimber s life. Some years before they met him, his 16 year old daughter had been raped and murdered. Nine years later, his son had a serious car accident that left him brain-damaged. Some Christians thought: How much can the man take? He ll become bitter and throw in his faith. Gunner had a different perspective: Jesus is enough to get us through. I don t understand what s happened, but I trust Him. He lived Jesus in the reality of life and led hundreds to the Lord as they saw what he had. These people spoke from tough experiences. They knew that there is nothing that is impossible for God. They proved: God is with us in the journey. He enables us to supernaturally live above the situation, not be defeated by it. 3. There is nothing that hasn t been defeated by the Cross. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:9,10 Our thinking and emotional reactions change when this truth is our reality.

The writer of Hebrews gives this summary: The Saviour took on flesh and blood in order to totally defeat the whole dynamic of suffering by his death.

12 12 Here is core aspect about suffering In a nutshell: God suffers with us and God suffered for us. Jesus personally experienced being a refugee; homeless; unwanted; tempted in every way; despised; betrayed and rejected by the religious establishment. He grieved with people. The writer of Hebrews gives this summary: The Saviour took on flesh and blood in order to totally defeat the whole dynamic of suffering by his death. By embracing death, taking it into himself, he destroyed the Devil's hold on death and freed all who cower through life, scared to death of death That's why he had to enter into every detail of human life. When he came before God as high priest to get rid of the people's sins, he would have already experienced it all himself all the pain, all the testing and would be able to help where help was needed. Hebrews 2:14-18 (Message) We re all familiar with the Isaiah 53 scriptures that graphically depict what Jesus endured: He knew pain first hand it was our pains he carried our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Isaiah 53:3-5 (The Message)

13 On the Cross, Jesus chose to stand in our place. He took on all our suffering of all humanity from creation until His second coming. He carried all mankind s sin, everything Satan threw at Him.

Jesus refused to allow the external reality of what He endured to become His internal reality and focus. Jesus lived from His position in the Father from the heavenly realm towards life.

13 13 On the Cross, Jesus chose to stand in our place. He took on all our suffering of all humanity from creation until His second coming. He carried all mankind s sin, everything Satan threw at Him. There is nothing he has not endured for us and Jesus conquered the lot! Not just in His resurrection, but through the whole process. Jesus refused to allow the external reality of what He endured to become His internal reality and focus. Jesus lived from His position in the Father from the heavenly realm towards life. So easily pain and suffering can settle on us like a heavy blanket, weighing us down and we feel yuk. He was honest about the pain, but stood in His identity and authority and lived above suffering. He retreated into the security of His Father s presence, love and favour.

14 God allows in His wisdom what He could prevent by His power. Why?

There is absolute confidence that in whatever we are facing that Jesus not only carried it on the Cross for us,

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!

Suffering gets seriously bad when we feel alone and worthless. The journey isn t one we need to walk on our own.

14 14 God allows in His wisdom what He could prevent by His power. Why? Partly so that we learn to find all that we need in Him. There is absolute confidence that in whatever we are facing that Jesus not only carried it on the Cross for us, He is with us now. Carrying it for us. 4. We need to be convinced how significant we are in God s kingdom. How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1 Our identity, security and authority are transformed as we accept this. Suffering gets seriously bad when we feel alone and worthless. The journey isn t one we need to walk on our own. Emotional isolation is not a good choice. Suffering can seriously mess with our head. Circumstances and pain can warp our thinking. We can start running internal video replays of what took place and our self talk shifts into overdrive.

15 We go through the whole downhill cycle of Shock Denial Fear Unbelief Feeling alone and powerless Truth is, the Spirit of God supernaturally is progressively transforming our whole thinking so that

From that position of security, we choose to respond, not react. We experience His peace and rest in His presence. Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God.

15 15 We go through the whole downhill cycle of Shock Denial Fear Unbelief Feeling alone and powerless Truth is, the Spirit of God supernaturally is progressively transforming our whole thinking so that when suffering occurs, we may choose to refuse the path of lies, defeat and thinking, nobody loves me. Knowing we are loved, experiencing that reality, we step back into the arms of Jesus. From that position of security, we choose to respond, not react. We experience His peace and rest in His presence. Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God. When we are in the secret place in Father s arms, the enemy can t see us and get to us. In that place, we ll discover what Paul experienced, I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:12,13

16 Choose to let God work supernaturally and radically in us so that we loose our bias to fear and panic. God uses every situation to form Jesus in us.

16 16 Choose to let God work supernaturally and radically in us so that we loose our bias to fear and panic. God uses every situation to form Jesus in us. As we look at Jesus, we observe that His default response to any pain or suffering was to retreat into His Father. To be enfolded in Father s love, presence, peace and promises that are always there. Jesus lives to make intercession for us. We are never alone. The sheer core of our being, the deepest longings and feelings He understands and brings to the Father. A Meditation Psalm: Psalm 37 Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong...like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the LORD and do good...delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust in him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret it leads only to evil Wait for the LORD and keep His way...the salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD. He is their stronghold in time of trouble. The LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him.

17 17 SHIFTING OUR FOCUS Take our eyes of the problem and our suffering: I m no longer a victim. Declare God s goodness Remember and affirm in specific terms in the past how God has helped us Stand in our identity and spiritual authority Choose to stand in the heavenly places See things from His perspective All power and authority has been given to us by Almighty God

The Long Silence At the end of time, billions of people were seated on a great plain before God's throne. Most shrank back from the brilliant light before them.

18 The Long Silence At the end of time, billions of people were seated on a great plain before God's throne. Most shrank back from the brilliant light before them. But some groups near the front talked heatedly, not cringing with shame, but with belligerence. "Can God judge us? How can He know about suffering?" snapped a pert young brunette. She ripped open a sleeve to reveal a tattooed number from a Nazi concentration camp. "We endured terror, beatings torture, death!" An aboriginal man lowered his collar. "What about this?" he demanded, showing an ugly rope burn. "Lynched, for no crime but being black!" In another crowd there was a pregnant schoolgirl with sullen eyes: "Why should I suffer?" she murmured. "It wasn't my fault." Far out across the plain were hundreds of such groups. Each had a complaint against God for the evil and suffering He had permitted in His world. How lucky God was to live in Heaven, where all was sweetness and light. Where there was no weeping or fear, no hunger or hatred. What did God know of all that man had been forced to endure in this world? For God leads a pretty sheltered life, they said. So each of these groups sent forth their leader, chosen because they d suffered the most. A Jew, a person from Hiroshima, a deformed arthritic, a child with AIDS and a refugee from Niger.

19 In the centre of the vast plain, they consulted with each other. At last they were ready to present their case. It was rather clever. Before God could be qualified to be their judge, He must endure what they had endured. Their decision was that God should be sentenced to live on earth as a man. Let Him be born a Jew. Let the legitimacy of His birth be doubted. Give Him a work so difficult that even His family will think Him out of His mind. Let Him be betrayed by His closest friends. Let Him face false charges, be tried by a prejudiced jury and convicted by a cowardly judge. Let Him be tortured. At the last, let Him see what it means to be terribly alone. Then let Him die so there can be no doubt He died. Let there be a great host of witnesses to verify it. As each leader gave their portion of the sentence, loud murmurs of approval went up from the throng of people. When the last one had finished pronouncing sentence, there was a long silence. No one uttered a word. No one moved. Suddenly, all knew that God had already served His sentence. Anon To go further: Nicky Gumbel, Questions of Life Brother Yun, The Heavenly Man

In this booklet on the issue of suffering you ll discover: The downhill spiral we can get trapped in by our pain Views of God that block us becoming free God s solution to pain and suffering Four

20 In this booklet on the issue of suffering you ll discover: The downhill spiral we can get trapped in by our pain Views of God that block us becoming free God s solution to pain and suffering Four foundations for living in the midst of suffering A meditation on Psalm 37 The Long Silence a reflection on suffering Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group Photo acknowledgements: The Passion of the Christ Copyright Ross Wakeley 2009

Experiencing God's promises

Experiencing God's promises Ross Wakeley 2 Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns